My roommate and I never discussed the possibility of not paying for cable television this semester. Our main focus was whether or not to order HBO for an extra $15 dollars a month. Looking back I realize that television is such a prominent force in both of our lives that neither of us could contextualize living without it. In fact the first two days after we moved in we were without cable and internet. It was not until then did I realize how often I watch television, whether it is consciously or just as background noise.
In Eating a Dinosaur, Chuck Klosterman quotes Ted Kaczynski, the legendary Unabomber, "Technology is a more powerful social force than the aspiration for freedom." This is a very bold and true statement. People sacrifice many things for technology, in facts our lives revolve around it. People will spend ludicrous amount of money for the latest technology, thousands of dollars of state of the art computers and televisions, "smart"-phones, cable television with thousands of channels. All of these seems unnecessary, especially when people begin to choose to spend their money on these luxuries verses the necessities of life.
Television is a life conquering force. Everyone is exposed to it, and many of the times it shapes our ideas and experiences. Klosterman also discusses how our internal images, how we picture things, most likely originate from television. Television is a world wide medium that allows us to believe other peoples opinions and leaves little room for interpretation or our own opinions. Television is one of the sole mediums that has the ability to take away our freedom and our voice. Television is run by the elite, the images seen are created by the minds of the elite, the information given to us is from the mouths of the elite. The average person does not have a say in what people say or do on television. They do not create television shows,and they do not benefit from what television offers.
Using my own life as an example I will admit that I am a fan of the television series True Blood. I watch it regularly and this was the main reason my roommate and I debated ordering HBO (which we did by the way). This show is by director Alan Ball. Of course this show is entirely fictional, but Alan Ball definitely contributes many elements to the show that are detrimental to our thinking. The show is violent, sexual and racist. Abuse is consistently seen through out the show, as well as sexual violence and murder. This show does not show that these things are wrong, or what to do if they happen to you, but instead tells us it's normal and everything will be fine next episode. Television is unrealistic, many people realize that, but the ideas that they reinforce constantly such as abuse against women, whether sexual or violent, are prevalent in our society. This must mean that television does effect some, if not most, of it's fans.
Knowing all of this- knowing what it does to me and the ideas I am exposed to because of it, I still watch it. I am smart enough to look beyond what they are saying to me and contextualize that this is not real life, that it is a television show. Even if I did stop watching, what difference would it make? Television will never die. It will only grow stronger.
No comments:
Post a Comment